Welcome to the 19th biennial Berkeley Festival and Exhibition—or as we like to refer to it, BFX! Founded in 1990 and produced by the San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS), the Festival has become one of the world’s largest and most important early music conclaves, deemed “a remarkable institution on the American musical scene” by The New York Times. This summer, enjoy 21 main stage concerts—including two in Palo Alto and San Francisco—as well as special events, a three-day exhibition, community workshops, and dozens of Fringe presentations. There is truly something for everyone! From Boethius and Bach to gamelan and Gershwin, this year’s lineup promises to entice and enthrall.
Building off the success of BFX 2024, our mainstage concerts will continue to be pay-what-you-can, which have brought record-breaking crowds to SFEMS in recent years. As always, we encourage patrons to “pay it forward”—consider purchasing a subscription to ensure premium seating, and to undergird our commitment to
financial accessibility in early music.
Welcome to the 19th biennial Berkeley Festival and Exhibition—or as we like to refer to it, BFX! Founded in 1990 and produced by the San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS), the Festival has become one of the world’s largest and most important early music conclaves, deemed “a remarkable institution on the American musical scene” by The New York Times.
Enjoy eight days of scintillating music with 19 main stage concerts, as well as special events, a three-day exhibition, community workshops, and dozens of Fringe presentations.
For the first time in Festival history, our mainstage concerts will be pay-what-you-can, continuing SFEMS’ initiative from our regular season to remove income as a barrier to arts accessibility. To support this experiment—which has already brought record-breaking crowds to SFEMS concerts this season—we again invite patrons to consider paying it forward by purchasing a paid subscription, which not only ensures premium seat(s), but will serve as an investment in our groundbreaking initiative.
BFX AT-A-GLANCE
Use the scrolling arrows below to view our main stage concerts!
Click on the individual images to learn about specific shows.
EXHIBITION
& MARKETPLACE
The Festival Exhibition and Marketplace—free and open to the public—takes place Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 13, 2026, during the Berkeley Festival & Exhibition.
The Exhibition features the work of instrument makers, publishers, retailers, performing and service organizations, and others who provide materials, information, and vital support for the early music community. Most importantly, it is a place for gathering—for building new connections and renewing old friendships within an international community of artists, scholars, makers, and enthusiasts.
EXHIBITION OPEN HOURS:
Thursday, June 11: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm Friday, June 12: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Saturday, June 13: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
First Church Berkeley UCC (South Wing)
